The darkness only grew as I trod through the abandoned kingdom, the castle structure as my only guide to lead the way. It hung just through the black fog, a beacon in the void.
I hadn’t been alone since I left the Arcanex, and a sense of hopelessness bore down upon me with every step. I… was exhausted; my abilities could only be used sparingly from here on out—and I couldn’t help but miss them.
It wasn’t long before I noticed them, the eyes glaring through the pitch alleyways. The vacant whiteness of their lifeless, hollow look was locked on my stride. They found me—I had hoped to have longer to prepare myself… so many, and only my sense of hopelessness growing colder.
But they did not attack, not yet… watching and waiting. I continued; it would be an hour yet before I would make it to the castle. I would bide my time until then; anything not to provoke them.
A faint word carried on the damp breeze, inaudible, but beckoning me forward unto the abyss like a hand outstretched—an invitation perhaps? Or a trap? The fog made my mind feel scattered, and an abnormal veil had fallen over my thoughts…
“Seb…” I heard through the mist.
My heart fluttered and sunk. Could it be?
"S…Sebastien.” The voice begged through guttural cries.
“Halcyon!” I shouted, trying to locate the voice. My neck strained looking back and forth.
“Please!” he pleaded.
This way—I turned westward through the alleyways. How could he have gotten down here? My mind went frantic.
Was he hurt? His voice was strained. What did étienne do?
A large, regal-esque building emerged from the fog, a trail of blood soaking the ground, leading within. “Seb… please?” I could hear.
I rushed inside, almost slipping on the blood. The door slammed open to a grisly sight. “Oh gods!” I said, my eyes welling up.
He held out his hand. “You… found me.” Blood dripped from the edges of his mouth. He was injured severely, with chunks of flesh ripped from his neck and a hole through his abdomen. I pulled cloth from my bag quickly, trying to stop the bleeding.
“I’m… so happy you found me!” He said, “I… I…”
“Gods! What happened?” I asked, frantically pressing his wounds, “How did you get down here?”
“W… When we got separated,” he coughed. “étienne… he slaughtered the last knight, and Tarrien… oh Gods, Tarrien.” He started to cry.
My chest tightened. “No… no!” I muttered, choking back tears.
He stared into my eyes, smiling weakly, “But… you’re here; I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Where is he now… étienne?” I asked.
He started to cough violently.
“Never mind that; save your energy; I’ve got you.”
He rested his hand on my cheek gently. “I… missed you.”
The tightness in my chest softened. “Please… Halcyon, save your energy.” I stilled my breaths, checking over his wounds with care; they were severe and weren’t healing… Could étienne’s blood magic have done this? Could it be affecting his healing?
Light footfalls echoed from outside, stealing my attention, the familiar choked bellow of thralls encircling us.
Halcyon winced in pain once more. I had little choice; I didn’t have the energy to restore him right now, and I was afraid of how it would affect him if I did. I had only one choice. “I… will handle this. Please keep pressure on your wounds as best you can. I’ll only be a few moments.”
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“Please… don’t leave me.” He begged. “I… I need you!”
His pleas pulled at me, but I had to protect him. “I will return…” I said.
I left the house, not looking back at him. “Protect,” I said harshly. Upon the doorway formed a faint glimmer, a ward to protect him. Even a simple barrier was difficult.
The dense darkness rolled in like fog, even thicker than before, the eyes within piercing me like daggers through prey. Five… no, ten? My sight seemed to grow dim, and my muscles stiff.
From it leapt a gnarled beast, maw agape and bloodied; it clamped down upon the haft of my spear with ungodly strength, straining my legs. I gritted my teeth and tightened my stance, pushing back. The beast fell backward, slamming into the ground and disappearing into the fog. Are they testing me—these monsters, like a pack, a hive mind almost?
Two more burst forth, one at my back and one barreling to my front… I ducked quickly, the two of them colliding into one another. I dispatched one, planting my spear through its skull, and slashed at the other, but my assault fell through it, and as with the first one, it disappeared like mist.
Confusion gripped my mind. What was I dealing with? If only I could've dispersed the fog. Confusion turned to anger… “Come on!” I shouted.
The following moments were a blur, as the assault was constant. These men and women twisted beyond mortality to serve étienne’s sadistic whims. It was… overwhelming. Five… six… seven. After a while, I began to lose count. They would retreat with each kill I'd land, adjusting their strategy—abnormal for simple thralls. And at times… my hits seemed to connect only with air, like swinging through smoke.
The assault halted, allowing me a moment to catch my breath. I couldn’t keep this up, but I can’t leave Halcyon behind. Though… up to this point, they seemed to avoid him.
“Fascinating,” and incredibly deep voice said from within the dark. “étienne said you were capable. I never imagined a mortal would dispatch thralls so easily.”
My eyes darted around, eventually meeting with a red glare. A tall figure, cloaked in jagged black, walked towards me, silent, like a ghost… or spirit. It seemed one with this darkness, and its hollow voice echoed around me, shaking my very bones. “Are you responsible for this fog?” I asked.
“I am…” it whispered. A sadistic grin rose upon its crooked maw.
“You’re a mage then?” I asked it.
He laughed again, chilling me to the bone. “I am naught but a trifle in this oh so grandest of schemes. I am here only to assist étienne in his rise to godhood… and to bring about your end,” he grinned again. “Nothing more.”
There it was again, Godhood. Could the power hidden here really do that? I glanced back at the house, the ward still in place. I’d have to end this quickly, for fear Halcyon wouldn’t last much longer.
The shadowy figure held out a hand, numerous thralls following his motion. Ten… fifteen, my heart started to race; I couldn’t handle this… I couldn’t! Two tackled me immediately, sending me into the air. I recovered just barely, back to my feet, but immediately they swarmed me again. The reach of my spear while keeping on defense was my only saving grace, but a killing blow to any of them became impossible. My glances caught the hooded thrall laughing; my exhaustion must’ve been hilarious in his dead eyes.
Pain be damned… I’d die if I didn’t do something. I could feel a sharpness digging into my head like a knife through my skull. It would be worth it—I could do it!
Each of them jumped toward me, a moment of impossibility, but I would persevere, “Now! Twenty-fold slashes!”
The thralls wailed as their bodies were rent apart, limb and sinew severed until their cries stopped. Blood rained down, soaking my skin.
I dropped to my knees, grunting through heavy breaths, and my sight grew faint. It was everything I had in me to resist passing out.
Its face twisted to an emotionless scowl, “Insufferable.” More thralls emerged from the fog.
“Again,” I muttered. I rose to my feet weakly, stumbling but catching myself. The beasts gazed upon me with their bloody visage. I could not do this, not alone—I must retreat.
I turned about and ran, making my way back to Halcyon; perhaps I could muster enough energy to teleport us back to Amicus. The Thralls snarled and raced behind me… the ward would hold; it had to. I collapsed through the door once I made it, and the thralls bounced off the ward. “Thank the gods,” I said exhaustedly. “Halcyon…” I paused suddenly as I turned to him—but met only empty space.
I stood up, confusion assaulting me. No bed, no anything… he could not have left; he was dying. My eyes began to well up. Emptiness and silence cut through me like a knife; I felt myself wanting to search, but there was nothing. “The thralls!” I said, knowing my ward wouldn’t last much longer. But no, it was still in place, untouched and undamaged. I scratched my forehead in frustration. “Damn it,” I said, “Damn it!”
I stepped outside… and again, nothing. The corpses of the thralls I had slain were nowhere to be found, with no scars of battle or blood… and on the mist, a faint, hollow laugh carried across my ear like glass across my skin. This… wasn’t real?
My knees buckled under the weight of the realization, and I collapsed to the ground against the house. It wasn’t real… None of it. Even then, as my eyes welled up and air felt scarce, a sense of loss had choked me. “Halcyon,” I muttered through stifled breath.
After a time, I forced myself up. He wasn’t gone… and I wasn’t defeated. Somewhere he was still fighting, and I had Amoria to worry about, and Amicus. Forward… unto the dark.
What weight does this shadowy figure hold in étienne's motivations?
